PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Investigations are underway after authorities say incendiary devices were placed near two ballot boxes in Portland, Oregon, and a third in Vancouver, Washington, and used to start the fires in the early morning hours on Monday.
Portland Police Bureau officials say the incidents were possibly connected to each other as well as to another incident that took place on Oct. 8.
“We got a call that indicated one of the ballot boxes was smoking. We found a device there next to the ballot box,” Vancouver police officials said of the previous October incident. “Today’s incident was very similar.”
According to Portland police, at around 3:30 a.m. Monday, officers responded to reports of a fire at a ballot box on Southeast Morrison Street, near the Multnomah County Elections Division office. By the time officers arrived, they said the fire had already been put out by security employees who work in the area. Chair Jessica Vega Pederson said the ballot box was promptly replaced.
Authorities said they found that an incendiary device had been placed in the ballot box and used to start the fire.
“I’ve been with Multnomah County Elections for 16 years. I’ve been in elections for 22 years. This is the first time any incident has occurred, as far as I’m aware, at the elections building or in any position I’ve ever held,” Tim Scott from the elections office said.
Just half an hour later, Vancouver police said a Clark County ballot box was also found to be on fire. Hundreds of ballots were destroyed in the Vancouver incident.
When officers arrived, they said the ballot box at 3510 SE 164th Ave. was smoking and on fire, and the Metro Explosive Disposal Unit arrived to collect the explosive device.
Ballots dropped off before 11 a.m. on Oct. 26 were collected by election officials and not damaged by the fire. Voters can check online to see if their ballot was received by going to votewa.gov.
“I’m very saddened by this incident,” County Auditor Greg Kimsey said. “This action is an attack on American democracy.”
Portland police say they identified a suspect vehicle in connection with the Multnomah County case, which they later revealed with photos.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations is investigating all three incidents. Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI.
Tim Scott, Multnomah County’s elections director, said a fire suppressant inside the ballot box on Southeast Morrison helped protect the ballots inside and that only three ballots were damaged.
Multnomah County’s Elections Office will contact those voters via unique identifiers on their ballot envelopes to receive replacement ballots.
“We have multiple systems and security measures in place to ensure your ballot is safe,” Scott said in a statement. “Your Elections team is working hard to make sure that every vote counts.”
A similar situation happened in early October near a ballot box in Vancouver.
In the incident, authorities said the ballot box wasn’t compromised and the suspicious device was safely removed by the bomb squad.